Wherefore, whereas the assurance of mind in other teachings de- pends much on the authority of them by whom they are taught, on a supposition that believers are taught the mind of God in the Scrip- ture by the Holy Spirit, or are by him enabled to discern and know it, the inquiry is, how or by what means they have an assurance that they have a right understanding of the things which they are so taught, so as to abide in them and the profession of them against all opposition whatever, and so as to venture the eternal condition of their souls on that assurance they have of the truth ; which every one must do whether he will or no. And this in the text is referred unto the author of this teaching: "The anointing is truth, and is no lie;" it is true, and infallibly so. There is no fear of, no possi- bility for, any man being deceived in what he is taught by this unc- tion. And an assurance hereof ariseth in our minds partly from the manner of his teachings, and partly from the evidence of the things themselves that we are taught. The manner and way of his teach- ing us in and by the Scripture evidenceth unto us that what we are taught "is truth, and is no lie." He giveth a secret witness unto what he teacheth in his teachings; for " it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth," 1 John v. 6. And with respect unto
] 50 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VI., PART II.
the evidence which is so given us of the truth, it is said that the " unction" whereby we are taught "is truth, and is no lie;" that is, it is impossible any one should be deceived who is so taught. This will more fully appear when we have declared the whole of his work herein; something only may noAv be spoken, on occasion of this tes- timony.
There is a peculiar power accompanying the teaching of God by his Sjjirit: " Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?" Job xxxvi. 22. So our Saviour expoundeth that promise, "They shall be all taught of God." "Every man therefore that hath heard," saith he, "and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me," John vi. 45. There is such an efficacy accompanying God's teaching, that whosoever is so taught doth certainly believe the things that he is taught, as having the evidence of the truth of them in himself.
When the Holy Ghost gave new revelations of old unto the pro- phets and penmen of the Scripture by immediate inspiration, he did therein and therewith communicate unto them an infallible evi- dence that they were from God; and when he doth illuminate our minds in the knowledge of what is revealed, he doth therein himself bear witness unto, and assure us of, the truth which we do under- stand. Hereby do we come to that which the apostle calleth " The full assurance of understanding, in the acknowledgment of the mystery of God." He not only enableth our minds to apprehend the truth, but he shines into our hearts, the seat of spiritual expe- rience, to " give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." And the assurance which believers have thereby is above that which any other evidence or demonstration whatever can give; and the meanest believer hath from this teaching a greater rest, satisfaction, and assurance in the knowledge of the mind of God, than any that can be attained by the most raised notions or profound disputations: for "he that believeth hath the witness in himself," 1 John v. 10. And why should others think it strange that there should be such evidence of truth in the teaching of the Spirit, by the illumination of our minds in the knowledge of the Scripture, as to give us an assurance of the highest nature, seeing there is "none that teacheth like him?"
Want hereof is that which makes men to fluctuate in their con- ceptions of spiritual things, and so ready on every occasion to part with what they have received. The church of Rome hath, as we observed, rather craftily than wisely, provided against any inconve- nience herein. The doctrines which it teacheth are many of them false, and so the things contained in them can give no evidence unto themselves in the minds of men ; for there is nothing but ima- gination in error, — there is nothing of substance in it. And their
CHAP. III.] SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 151
way of teaching is not accompanied with any especial advantage; 3^ea, it is the most vain that ever was in the world. They would have men suppose that they may advance at once in the true belief of a hundred things whereof they have no evidence, merely resting on the infallibility of the church, by which, they say, they are pro- posed. Wherefore, they teach men that although they receive no evidencing light in this way of their instruction, nor have any ex- perience of the power or efficacy of truth in what they are taught, yet they may rest assuredly in the infallibility of the church. Hence the assurance they have of any thing they suppose truth is not an act of the mind in the embracing of the truth from any evidence that it gives of itself, but a presumption in general that the church is infallible by which these things are proposed unto them. The design is, to prevail with men to suppose that they believe all things, when, indeed, they believe nothing, — that they understand the mind and will of God, when, indeed, they understand nothing at all of them ; for a man believes nothing but what is accompanied with an evidence whereon it ought to be believed. But this they pretend not unto, at least not such that should give them that assurance of the truth of it which is requisite; and therefore are all men by them referred for that unto the infallibility of the church. Persons weak, ignorant, credulous, or superstitious, either for interest or by the craft of seducers, may be prevailed on to make their resort unto this relief. Those who will not forego the rational conduct of their own souls, and leave themselves unto the guidance of others, knowing that it is they alone who must give an account of themselves to God, will not easily be induced thereunto.